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The Best Twitter Responses to Deadline's Hilariously Idiotic Article About the Struggles of White Actors

By Dustin Rowles | Industry | March 25, 2015 |

By Dustin Rowles | Industry | March 25, 2015 |

Deadline, one of Hollywood’s leading trade news websites, published a piece by Nellie Andreeva yesterday that would’ve probably stirred more controversy if it weren’t so laughable. Entitled “Pilots 2015: The Year Of Ethnic Castings — About Time Or Too Much Of Good Thing?,” it theorizes — based on cherry-picked, anonymous anecdotal evidence — that things have gotten hard out there for white actors in an television industry that’s suddenly embracing people of color (or, uh, “ethnic actors, a casting term used for non-Caucasian thesps”).

It reads like a poorly written Onion article, basically asserting that shows like Empire, Fresh Off the Boat, and Black-ish have pushed white actors to the fringe.

The pendulum might have swung a bit too far in the opposite direction. Instead of opening the field for actors of any race to compete for any role in a color-blind manner, there has been a significant number of parts designated as ethnic this year, making them off-limits for Caucasian actors, some agents signal. Many pilot characters this year were listed as open to all ethnicities, but when reps would call to inquire about an actor submission, they frequently have been told that only non-Caucasian actors would be considered.

It also includes this patronizing gem: “Star names were in demand as usual, as were hot young guys and girls and occasional foreigners with that ‘sparkle,’ ” which is to say that, in Deadline’s assessment of pilot season, the hiring hierarchy goes something like this:

Star Names > Hot Young Guys and Girls > “Foreigners with Sparkle” > Ethnics > White People.

Deadline has never been a particularly beloved site by the industry or other journalists because it used to be written by the most loathed woman in journalism, Nikki Finke; because of its petty feud with The Wrap; and because of its history of failing to credit others for scoops. It’s always been the bully of trade news outlets.

Seeing an opening, journalists and actors are having a field day ripping them a new asshole for this piece, and it’s been a joy to watch.

Here are the best Twitter responses:



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Dustin is the founder and co-owner of Pajiba. You may email him here, follow him on Twitter, or listen to his weekly TV podcast, Podjiba.